Apple to adopt OLED in touchscreens by 2018

According to Japanese business publication Nikkei Asian Review, Apple Inc. could be looking to replace LCD displays on all its touchscreen devices, with OLED screens. Rumors point to the next generation iPhones as the first product lines to be upgraded, with no word yet, aside from common sense, on iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPod Touch.

OLED screens have been used in a range of high-end mobile devices, such as the top-end Samsung Galaxy Note and Edge, as well as top-end LG devices.

While within the realm of speculation, there are arguments for, as well as against the possibility that Apple may ditch LCD for OLED. On the one hand, skeptics argue that the staggering volume of screens to be produced for each future iteration of the Apple iPhone, as well as the iPad Mini, would cause production bottlenecks, even with Samsung at the helm of production of the screens.

On the other hand, those who find the switch to OLED plausible, argue that OLED technology is the logical next step for iOS devices, as OLED offers several advantages. For one thing, OLED displays are much more energy efficient than LCD, featuring deeper blacks and better picture contrast.

Currently, the Apple Watch is the only device built with an OLED display. With that said, according to Nikkei Asian Review, display suppliers have already received a memo in regard to Apple switching to OLED as of 2018..

If the rumor is true, Samsung is the most likely candidate as display manufacturer, followed by LG, and, if history is of any indication, either Sony or Panasonic could get involved as additional hands on deck, although we might want to wait for more accurate predictions from KGI Securities and other firms with a history of being spot-on when it comes to this type of rumor.